Had to laugh at state of 'dining rooms' with windows all blacked out How did customers see their plates Looks more like the black hole of Calcutta!!Casual labourers back then must have been glad of anything

Fantastic find, Joe, never seen this picture before..Mother-in-law attended this school, around 1927-1938It was then called 'St James select School' name changed by this time, either that or School was knocked down and rebuilt..St James Select was on the corner of Irlam Road and Marsh Lane..Some of the exterior walls still remained during the sixties, but eventually pulled down to make way for the Brunswick club!Thanks Joe

When I first started work (1949) on the way -on this very corner (Linacre lane / Hawthorn Rd) each morning was a newspaper seller-so familiar with each of His customers , as you came to a stop on Your bike he was there with your paper -How's that for service ? AND--on the opposite corner was WA GALE building contractor-- I applied for a joiners apprenticeship there -got knocked back ( I think because I had a boil on My neck)-any way I didn't need His rotten job -I had already learned everything about joinery at lessons at Orrell School ,( at the end of the woodwork lesson the teacher would check each box of tools so none had been knocked off).Peter

Once upon a time ----I had a window cleaning round (Helena Street Walton ) and at the back of one my customers houses was covered in IVY like seen in this picture-- We had a terrible job doing the windows -and the old feller was always whinging that his windows weren't clean --the lady next door wanted be rid of it as it messed Her yard up-and ask could we do anything about ---so with the aid of some "San izal) and a chop at the big root --next time we came round the Ivy was gone---the lady said it came down during the night and it sounded like an air raid .Peter

Where we are in Kent, of 5 pubs closed in this village not one has been re used , all have been knocked down for flats.It’s pretty much the same throughout the Country , Peter. High rents, the smoking ban, cheap supermarket ale etc have all done for them. Ken

As a student, I had a job with Walter Holmes joinery firm and used to go in there on a Friday lunch time for a pint of Mackie mixed. Invariably, 'Albatross' by Fleetwood Mac would be playing on the jukebox. Or the 'Boxer' by Simon and Garfunkel. A lot of water has passed under the lift bridge since then.

Hiya Ian thanks for sharing your memories of the Red lion pub I first drank there in 1966. I used to know a girl who worked in the office of Walter Holmes, her first name Veronica we called her Ronnie.

Very interesting photo Nicolas, Exeter Road where I was born is just opposite and the left corner was a place that made gravestones was still around then, and for many years later. No idea what was on the other side as there were prefabs there as far as I can remember. Sorry it is a bit off subject regarding your photo of the Kings Gardens as I knew them.